The national anthem is performed before every sporting event in the U.S., but the Super Bowl is one of the biggest games in the country. Whoever sings the national anthem at the Super Bowl is taking on a lot of responsibility, and it can either go really well, or really poorly. Additionally, it can also go on for longer than it’s supposed to. Here’s a look back at the longest national anthem in Super Bowl history.
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In 2013, multiple Grammy-winner Alicia Keys performed the national anthem at the Super Bowl. This was the year Beyoncé performed the halftime show with a Destiny’s Child reunion, so the entire game was star-studded all around. Additionally, to this day Keys still holds the record for the longest national anthem.
Her national anthem performance lasted a total of two minutes and 36 seconds. For reference, the usual length of the anthem is around one minute and 40 seconds. Considering it’s just the national anthem and not the halftime show, the performance went on for much longer than it was supposed to. Almost a full minute longer, which, in the world of football, can be a long time. Fans were waiting patiently (or not so patiently) for the game to start, sometimes all day, and an extra 56 seconds could have caused some ruffled feathers in the stands.
However, considering it was Alicia Keys performing, fans might have backed off a little bit. She doesn’t have 17 Grammy awards for no reason, after all. If Alicia Keys wants to drag out the national anthem, Alicia Keys can drag out the national anthem.
[RELATED: Super Bowl 2025 Odds: How Long Will Jon Batiste’s National Anthem Take to Sing?]
Who is Performing the National Anthem at This Year’s Super Bowl, and What are the Various Betting Odds?
This year, the responsibility of the national anthem is going to composer and pianist Jon Batiste. Fans are even betting on how long it will take Batiste to sing the national anthem, because of there’s one thing a football fan loves more than football, it’s placing bets.
The over/under for how long the anthem will take is presented in the following odds, according to Fox Sports: Over 120.5 seconds comes in at -142; Under 120.5 seconds comes in at +120. So, in layman’s terms, the odds are basically predicting that Batiste will go over 120.5 seconds. The minus symbol denotes good odds that something will happen, while the plus symbol denotes the underdog choice.
Fans are also betting on how long Batiste will hold the word “brave” during the anthem. The odds there are Over 3.5 seconds: -113; Under 3.5 seconds: +113. The odds that he will use a piano are Yes: -400; No: +290. This one is pretty clear cut, because you can look at his previous national anthems to help gauge whether or not he will use a piano. Similarly, the odds that someone will cry during the national anthem are pretty steep—Yes: -1000; No: +520.
Apparently, you will win more money if if turns out no one cries. My question is, does anyone out there really understand sports betting? I can barely decipher bets about the national anthem.
Featured Image by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
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